Where Is Your Baby Located At 18 Weeks?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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At 18 weeks, your baby is about the length of a cucumber and your uterus is around the size of a sweet potato — see how you're working your way through the produce department? It can be felt

about 11⁄2 inches below your belly button

— so have a feel.

What should I be feeling at 18 weeks pregnant?

18 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms. Not only are you super busy preparing for baby, but you might be having some not-so-fun 18 weeks pregnant symptoms, like

swollen feet or hands, backaches, leg cramps and nosebleeds

. And the stress and discomfort can keep you up at night around week 18 of pregnancy.

Can I feel the baby at 18 weeks?


You might feel your baby move for the first time when you're around 17 or 18 weeks pregnant

. If this is your first baby, you may notice the first movements between 18 and 20 weeks pregnant. At first, you feel a fluttering or bubbling, or a very slight shifting movement.

Should I feel anything at 18 weeks pregnant?

Week 18 – your second trimester. You may feel your baby move for the first time around now.

If you are feeling something now, it may feel like a gentle fluttering sensation

.

In what area of stomach do you first feel your baby move?

At 19 weeks, the top of the uterus (the uterine fundus) is just below the level of the belly button. So most fetal movement (kicks, etc.) is felt in

the lower part of the belly

. As both the uterus and fetus grow, a fetus' movements can be felt all over the belly, including the upper part of the abdomen.

When can my baby feel me touch my belly?


4 months into your pregnancy

, your baby will also feel it when you stroke the skin of your tummy: rub your hand against your stomach, gently push and stroke it… and soon your baby will start responding with little kicks, or by curling up into your palm!

What are five warning signs of a possible problem during pregnancy?

These danger signs include

vaginal bleeding, severe headache, vision problems, high fever, swollen hands/face, and reduced fetal movement

[4]. These danger signs usually indicate the presence of an obstetric complication that may arise during pregnancy, delivery or postdelivery.

How do you know if the baby is still alive in the womb?

The most common symptom of stillbirth is when you

stop feeling your baby moving and kicking

. Others include cramps, pain or bleeding from the vagina. Call your health care provider right away or go to the emergency room if you have any of these conditions.

Is my pregnant belly supposed to be hard?


Feeling the belly harden is a normal sensation during pregnancy with a wide range of causes

. Things that trigger your belly to harden depends on the trimester you are in and the other symptoms that can additionally appear.

Can I lay on my stomach at 18 weeks pregnant?

Sleeping on your stomach is fine in — but sooner or later you'll have to turn over. Generally,

sleeping on your stomach is OK until the belly is growing, which is between 16 and 18 weeks

. Once your bump starts to show, stomach sleeping gets pretty uncomfortable for most women.

When can dads feel kicks?

But in most cases, your partner should be able to detect movement a few weeks after you. If your partner places their hand on your stomach, they may feel the baby move

as early as week 20

. As your baby becomes bigger and stronger, your partner (or others you allow) will not only feel kicks, but also see kicks.

Why do I feel my baby moving in my pelvic area?

The woman will start to feel her baby move

once they have grown strong enough to place an adequate amount of pressure on the walls of her uterus to stimulate the nerves in the skin of her belly

.

Why is my pregnant belly sometimes hard and sometimes soft?

Why is my belly sometimes hard and sometimes soft? It feels alien enough when your belly has bulges, bumps, and kicks. Added to that, it might sometimes feel squishy and other times rock hard. When your pregnant belly feels rock hard and firm all over,

it's usually because you're having a contraction

.

How many weeks is five months pregnant?

There are a few different ways the weeks of pregnancy are grouped into months, so this fifth month could range from

week 17 or 18 up to week 20, 21, or 22

.

Where does your uterus sit at 18 weeks?

At 18 weeks, your baby is about the length of a cucumber and your uterus is

around the size of a sweet potato

— see how you're working your way through the produce department? It can be felt about 11⁄2 inches below your belly button — so have a feel.

Can you hurt the baby by pushing on your stomach?

Thankfully, there's no need to worry every time you bump your tummy;

even a front-forward fall or a kick from your toddler is unlikely to hurt your baby-to-be

.

How do you know if it's the baby moving or gas?

20 to 24 weeks – At first

you might feel a gentle flutter in your stomach

. This is known as ‘quickening' and is the first sign your baby is beginning to move. If this is your first pregnancy, it's easy to mistake your baby kicking for gas, as baby kicks can sometimes feel like small bubbles inside your tummy.

Do babies like when you rub your belly?


After a certain point in pregnancy, babies can definitely feel and even enjoy the touch from their mothers

. In the first trimester, the baby is deep inside your abdomen and surrounded by a lot of amniotic fluid. Her body is tiny and still developing, so it's unlikely she has any awareness of the outside yet.

Can unborn babies sense their father?

“Babies hear sounds from the outside world at 16 weeks gestation,” says Deena H. Blumenfeld, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. “

They also recognize their parents' voices from the moment they are born.

What week can baby hear?

At around 18 weeks of pregnancy, your unborn baby will start being able to hear sounds in your body like your heartbeat. At

27 to 29 weeks (6 to 7 months)

, they can hear some sounds outside your body too, like your voice.

Does a small bump mean small baby?

The fact is,

there's no perfect size for your bump

. And size is no indication of your baby's weight, either. “Mums-to-be are forever comparing bumps,' says midwife Lorna Bird. “But everyone's individual and just because someone has a big bump, it doesn't mean they'll necessarily have a big baby.

How do I know if my baby is developing normally in the womb at home?


They may include the appearance of stretch marks, backaches and a sensation of shortness of breath and palpitations

, owing to the enlarging womb. A screening scan should be performed at around 20–22 weeks to exclude any structural abnormalities. You may even begin to feel the baby's movements —​ known as “quickening”.

What is a silent miscarriage symptoms?

There are usually no signs of a missed miscarriage. In some instances, a person might have

cramping or some brownish pink or red vaginal discharge

. Often, the symptoms of pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, nausea, or fatigue, continue when a silent miscarriage has happened.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.